Device for interlooping cordage



(No Model.) '3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

D. R. MALCOLM. DEVICE FOR INTERLOOPING OORDAGE.

No. 582,658. Patented May 18, 1897.

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(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 2. D. R. MALCOLM.

DEVICE FOR INTERLOOPING GORDAGE.

No. 582,658. Patented May 18,1897.

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(No Model.)

D R. MALCOLM. DEVICE FOR INTBRLOOPING GORDAGE.

Patented May-l8, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID RATTRAY MALCOLM, OF ALLENTOIVN, PENNSYLVANIA.

DEVICE FOR INTERLOOPING CORDAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 582,658, dated May 18,1897. Application filed J ly 7 1896- Serial No. 598,324. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID RATTRAY MAL- COLM, acitizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Allentown, in the county of Lehigh and Stateof Pennsylvania, have i11- vented certain new and useful Improvements inDevicesforlnterlooping Cordage, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to the machinery employed in the manufacture ofropes or articles of like nature, and especially to that class ofmachines forming a rope or similar article of square section and of asingle strand.

The objects of my invention are to provide a machine capable ofproducing rapidly, easily, and economically a product of the naturedescribed, and to provide a machine capable of producing a better andmore simple product of this nature. I attain these objects by the meansillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like figures ofreference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the needles in the first positionpreparatory to interlooping the strand on the left-hand needle. Fig. 2is also a front elevation of the needles, showing the second position ofthe needles in which the left hand needle is partly turned and thestrand partly interlooped thereon. Fig. 3 is a similar elevation showingthe left-hand needle turned back and in the act of drawing the strandthrough the loop. Fig. 4 isa similar elevation of the whole machine,showing the needles in the final position, the left-hand needle havingcompleted the loop upon itself and the righthand needle about to repeatthe operation. Fig. 5 is a perspective side View of the machine. Fig. 6shows another form of guide laying said strand on left needle. Fig. 7shows the same laying on right needle. Fig. 8 is an enlarged view ofFig. 7. Fig. 9 is a portion of the connecting mechanism.

I-Ieretofore square rope has been usually formed of several strandsplaited or braided generally and with an ordinary braiding plait, whichvery easily becomes unlaid. Such rope is also loose and easilydisturbed,thus losing certain advantages of the square section. Moreover theexisting methods are compli-' cated, slow, and comparatively expensive.

In the majority of machines used in the manufacture heretofore theindividual ends required to be wound on spools, and these spools wereplaced in shuttles or carriers, which have a motion each one around allthe others, so as to make a regular plait. This plait being formedaround a square core takes a semisquare form and is afterward squeezedinto approximately square form.

In many instances to avoid making the machine too large and consequentlyslow and heavy in its movements the spools require to be made small andcontain consequently little of the cord. Therefore much attention isrequired from the attendant and many stoppages are necessary to put infresh spools. I avoid these and other objections by the use of myimproved mechanism, as

hereinafter described.

Referring to Figs. 1, 4, and 5, 1 is the reel, supported in the frame 2,on which is wound the substance to be fed to the machine.

6 is a device whose function is to apply a certain tension to thestrand.

34 is a hollow spindle through which the strand passes from the reel.This spindle is rotated by means of the miter-gear 3, itself driven bythe wheel 4, meshing into the pinion 4 on the shaft driven by theband-wheel 5, (see Fig. 5,) and terminates at the top in a strand-guide6, whose function it is to lay the strand properly upon the needles.

8 9 are the needles,which terminate in hooks of suitable size and shapeto hold the strand. These needles are free to rotate in bearings S 8 and9 9 and these bearings themselves are borne on the sliding carriages 1819, which move in chamfered guides 20 21, the carriages being actuatedlongitudinally by means of the connecting-rods 14c 15, pivoted at 16 17,and adjustabl y fastened in the slotted arms 22 whose axes are at 24 25,forming a system of levers, the other arms 35 36 of which engage in cams37 38, as shown in Fig. 5.

The upper portions of the needles 8 9 are pinions 10 11, in which engageracks 12 13, which racks are actuated by studs 41, pro-. jecting intogrooves of peripheral cams 39 40, (see Fig. 5,) the cams thus impartinga longitudinal motion to the racks 12 18, which results in a partialrotation of the pinions and needles 1O 11 8 9.

- 32 is a guide for the finished product 42. This guide is removable,and is made of varying dimensions, so as to fit different sizes of thefinished product.

The cams 37 38 39 40 are fixed upon the ICC shaft 13, which is driven bythe gear-wheel 2S, meshing into the system of idle-wheels 27 27, whichin turn derive their motion from gear-wheel 4, driven, as alreadyexplained, by the band-wheel 5.

30 is a pulley over which the strand or finished product is led and onwhich the milled wheel 26 is constantly pressed by means of the spring29, the object being to maintain a constant tension on the product as itis produced. To this end the shaft ll, which bears the pulley 30, hastwo ratchet-wheels 45 4:5 011. which the pawls 46 to play, thuspreventing any backward motion of the pulley 30. From this pulley 30 thestrand 33 orfinished product ultimately is conveyed over the pulley 31to a reel or other receptacle.

It will be evident that the apparatus, while it only illustrates theworking parts of a single device, is capable of being fitted withduplicate parts, as indicated in Fig. 5, by means of which just doublethe production is possible on the one machine.

The operation of the device is as follows, referring to Fig. 1: The reelof material 1 is placed in the frame 3 and the end brought up throughthe spindle 34 and out through the guide (3, where a series of loops isformed by hand upon the strand and placed properly upon the needles. Theloose end is then led up through the guide 32 and over the wheels 30 31,and thence oil to a reel or other suitable receptacle. Motion is thencommunicated to the belt and band-wheel 5, when the spindle is at oncerevolved by means of the gears The guide 6, rotating with the spindle,carries the strand 7 with it, laying it successively in a position to beengaged by the needles 8 9 as they are successively reciprocated androtated by means of the cams and connecting mechanism, as hereinaftermore explicitly shown. Referring now to Fig. 5, the simultaneousrevolution of the wheel l is communicated by means of the idle-wheels 2727 to the shaft 43, bearing the cams 37 38 39 i0. Considering first theresults of the revolution of cams 37 38, it will be evident that thelevers 35 30 on the shafts 21L 25, having studs moving in thecam-grooves, will receive an impulse which, transmitted to the arms 23,will produce a reciprocating motion in the carriages 18 10, on which aremounted the pinioned needles 8 9 10 11.. At the same time the rack 13receives through the stud 41 and the rack 12 through its stud (notshown, but corresponding to ll, both of which studs bear in the groovesof the cams 39 l()) a longitudinal 1notion,which is converted intorotary motion in the pinions 10 11, which are made long to allow forreciprocal motion in the bearings 20 21. The consequence of theseagainst the shank.

rotated,thus bringing the needle into the position shown in Fig. 2,where the strand is shown in the hook of the needle. The continualmovement of the mechanism now continues the rotation of the pinion, sothat the needle assumes the position shown in Fig. 3, where it has beenpartly drawn up through the loop, while still holding the strand 7 inits hook. In Fig. 4: this reciprocation is completed. The hook stillholding the strand 7 is drawn quite through the original loop,which hasnow been drawn tight about the new loop just formed on the needle. Theneedle itself has been retated and reciprocatcd to its first posit-ionand has returned downward again sufficiently to slacken this new loopupon itself. This slight retraction is of vital importance, as it is themeans by which the strand is tightened, so as to form a compact and firmproduct, for at the moment of retraction the wheels 30 26 draw up thefinished product and the needle 8, in coming down and engaging the newportion of strand 7,draws the loop tight. In order to allow the needleto pass easily through the tightened loop, it is made broad and thin,the greatest breadth of the shaft, as will be seen on reference to Fig.2, being the same or a little greater than the width of the hook, asshown in the other figures. Meantime the second or right-hand needle 8has been stationary during all this process, though the guide 6 has beenrevolving and has now laid a new portion of the strand 7 in such aposition as to be engageable by the said needle 8. (See Fig. at.) Thisneedle now is reciprocated in the same way that the left-hand needle wasin the above description, being forced. down, then rotated, during whichrotation it engages the strand 7, then redrawn through the loop onitself, still retaining the strand, at which time it tightens the looppreviously made on the left-hand needle when after having been entirelyredrawn through the orignal loop and in its turn retracted slightly. Thelatter is tightened by means of the tensionwheels 26 30 and the motionof the opposite needle in the succeeding stitch and leaves the new loop011 the needle ready for a ropetition of the operation. Thus the twoneedles alternately form successive interloopings of the strands,finally forming a compact rope of square section formed of a singlestrand.

Figs. 6, 7, S, and 9, as has been already said, show a modification ofthe guide.

Referring more particularly now to Figs. (3 and 7, 4-7 is a bracketadapted to be secured to the frame of the machine proper, provided withbearings 4-8, in which rotates the hollow spindle if). This spindle endsin a U-shaped portion 51, provided with small pulleys 52 and a tubularguide The other end of the spindle is provided with a gear-wheel 55,which meshesinto the rack 5%. This rack (see also Fig. 9) is held inplace by the small wheel 56, and by means of the pin 59 derives apeculiar reciprocating motion from the grooved cam 57 58, which in turnis rotated .IIO

by means of the shaft 61, operating in the gears 34 62.

The function of the modification is similar to that of the guide alreadydescribedi. 6., to alternately lay the strand into the needles. Theoperation, however, is different, and is as follows: By means of therotation of the spindle 49, the strand 7, passing through the spindleand around the wheels 52 on the U- frame 51, is laid after passingthrough the tubular guide 53 first upon the needle 9, as is shown inFig. 6. After the looping then performed the guide is rotated to asimilar angle upon the other side and lays the strand then upon theneedle 8, as shown in Fig. 7, and in larger detail in Fig. 8, and soindefinitely continues. These needles are reciprocated and rotatedindependently of each other, in the sense that they do not reciprocateand rotate in the same way at the same time, but are given one aretrograde while the other is given the forward or other motion, andvice versa, although both are driven primarily by the same element,which in this case is a cam, which in its revolution alternately drivesone needle while the other is at rest. Their independence consists,therefore, in their separation and alternation, but is not meant toimply any lack of cooperation.

I do not claim, broadly, the combination of reciprocating and rotatingneedles, as I am aware that this feature has been embodied in devicesfor forming netting, but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine for interlooping cordage, the combination of a pluralityof independently reciprocating and rotating needles; with means forreciprocating and rotating the same alternately, and means for layingthe strand upon the needles consecutively, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for interlooping cordage, the combination of a pluralityof reciprocating and rotating needles with a strand-guide, and means forreciprocating and rotating the needles alternately with respect to thestrand.

3. In a machine for interlooping cordage, the combination of a pluralityof separately reciprocating and rotating needles, set at an angle toeach other, and means for reciprocating and rotating the same, and meansfor laying the strand upon said needles consecutively, substantially asand for the purposes herein set forth.

4. In a machine for interlooping cordage, the combination of a pluralityof reciprocating and rotating needles, with a strand-guide, and meansfor reciprocating and rotating the needles alternately with respect tothe stran dguide, and means for operating the strandguide.

5. In a machine for interlooping cordage, the combination of a pluralityof reciprocating and rotating needles, With astrand-guide, With meansfor reciprocating and rotating the needles alternately with respect toeach other,

a guide for the finished product, and a takeup device.

6. In a machine for interlooping cordage, the combination of a pluralityof alternately reciprocating and rotating needles set at an angle toeach other, with a strand-guide, and a guide for the finished product;means for reciprocating and rotating the needles, and means foroperating the strand-guide, so as to guide the strand into theneedles,and means for applying tension to the finished product.

7. The combination of a plurality of needles reciprocating and rotatingalternately with respect to each other; with a strandguide, and guidefor the finished product; means for reciprocating and rotating theneedles, and means for operating the strandguide, so as to guide thestrand into the needles, and means for applying tension to the finishedproduct.

8. The combination in a device for interlooping cordage,of a pluralityof separate needles, means for reciprocating and rotating the same, anda rocking strand-guide, and means for rocking the strand-guide,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. In a device for interlooping cordage, a plurality of independentneedles, rotating in bearings, carriages bearing said needles, pinionssecured to said needles and means to drive said pinions, and means toreciprocate the carriages longitudinally and independently.

10. The combination of a plurality of independent needles, means forrevolving and reciprocating the same alternately, with a strand-guideprovided with means for movingit back and forth to feed the strand toeach needle successively.

11. In a machine for interlooping cordage, the combination of needles,set at an angle with respect to each other, with slotted levers and camsoperating the same, connected to said needles, and said cams adjustedfor reciprocating said needles alternately, with pinions on theneedles,and cams controlling racks meshing into said pinions so as torotate the same alternately,a strand-receptacle,astrandguide adapted tolay the strand alternately upon said needles,with means for driving saidstrand-guide, a guide for the finished product, a wheel continuallypressing the finished product upon a rotating tension-wheel providedwith pawls and ratchets.

12. In an organized device for interlooping cordage, the combination ofa plurality of independent needles, racks and pinions for rotating thesame, and means to reciprocate the same longitudinally andindependently.

Signed at Allentown, in the county of Lehigh and State of Pennsylvania,this 2d day of July, A. D. 1896.

DAVID RATTRAY MALCOLM.

W'itnesses:

M. S. WEIDNER, JOHN SPENCE.

